Zuckmayer, Carl

Zuckmayer, Carl kärl tso͝ok´mīər [key], 1896–1977, German dramatist. Zuckmayer devoted himself to writing after the success of his comedy Der fröhliche Weinberg [the merry vineyard] (1925). During World War II he lived in the United States. His popular plays include Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (1931 tr. The Captain of Köpenick, 1932), satirizing German militarism, and Des Teufels General (1946 tr. The Devil's General, 1950), portraying the dilemma of an anti-Nazi German army officer. Both have been adapted as films. Zuckmayer's expressionistic style exhibits a controlled sentimentality. His best-known film script is Der blaue Engel [the blue angel] (1930). Zuckmayer's other works include poems, the espionage novel Das kalte Licht [the bold light] (1955, tr. 1958), and two autobiographies (1940, in English and 1966, tr. 1970).